Field
The described embodiments relate to an article of clothing that includes a breast pump and techniques for using the breast pump, including synchronizing one or more breast-pumping sessions of a woman with milk consumption by a baby or an infant.
Related Art
Studies indicate that breast milk provides important vitamins and nutrients for babies. However, sometimes direct breastfeeding is not an option or may not desirable.
Breast pumps make it possible for a mother to extract breast milk for her infant(s). In addition, breast pumps can help a mother continue lactating at regular intervals so that she does not lose the ability to generate milk during times when she is away from her infant or when a baby may not be nursing. For example, premature infants or babies born with defects may be put in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a hospital, and therefore may not be able to nurse for a time. In these cases, a breast pump not only keeps a mother lactating, but may allow a baby in a NICU, who is able, to receive breast milk.
However, there are challenges associated with existing breast pumps. In particular, many breast pumps are noisy, and can require regular cleaning and maintenance, which are time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, collecting milk, transferring it to a clean container, and then finding a place to store the milk can be time-consuming and frustrating. In addition, these actions often require a lot of attention or focus, which can be difficult for a mother with a newborn baby. For example, a mother may need to hold a pump or manually pump a device to extract milk. Then, the mother may need to switch breasts and repeat these operations, all while holding and encouraging their child.
Furthermore, existing breast pumps often do not cause sufficient milk letdown, such that mothers may have to wait several minutes or even hours for another milk letdown. This problem may be compounded by the uncertainty it causes, because a mother may not know when her body is going to be ready to produce milk again. In some instances, the mother may have to put away the breast pump only to subsequently have to get it out right away because her milk is coming. The whole process can, therefore, become time-consuming and frustrating.
Hence, there is a need for an improved breast pump and a technique for using a breast pump.